


Plane

by fuckthenaysayers



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Chance Meetings, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-13
Updated: 2014-04-13
Packaged: 2018-01-19 06:21:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1459156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuckthenaysayers/pseuds/fuckthenaysayers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The caffeine and sweetness started to help his mood a bit, but what happened a few minutes later did its fair share too. A young man walked over, some sort of complicated iced coffee in one hand and a danish in the other. He looked around twenty, tan skin and dark black hair, a light beard and thick glasses the most prominent features of his face. He smiled at Joel, and the shiver that it sent through him made him smile back, just a bit.</p><p>"Hey, mind if I sit? No other empty spots."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Plane

**Author's Note:**

> note: this is an older fic I never got around to putting up, apologies for my old formatting style and length.

"Are you serious?!"

  
"Yes, I’m sorry sir. The weather right now is too dangerous to fly through, all departing flights have been delayed two hours at the very least. We’re very sorry for the convenience, but all I can offer you in apology is this voucher for the airport’s coffee shop."

  
Joel scowled at the woman at the desk, swiping the proffered voucher away as he stormed off like a child, utterly furious about his flight being delayed. He knew it wasn’t the woman’s fault but damned if he wouldn’t curse her inside his mind, grumbling and grousing all the way to the coffee shop. He ordered the largest coffee he could, along with a cinnamon roll, still grimacing even as he got his order and sat down at the last free table in the shop.

  
The caffeine and sweetness started to help his mood a bit, but what happened a few minutes later did its fair share too. A young man walked over, some sort of complicated iced coffee in one hand and a danish in the other. He looked around twenty, tan skin and dark black hair, a light beard and thick glasses the most prominent features of his face. He smiled at Joel, and the shiver that it sent through him made him smile back, just a bit.

  
"Hey, mind if I sit? No other empty spots."

  
Joel glanced around the coffee shop, seeming to only just realize the crowdedness of the place. He motioned to it, smiling as kindly as he could, though it seemed a bit awkward and forced.

  
"Go right ahead."

  
"Thanks."

  
The younger man sat down, setting his food down and taking a long sip of his drink before sighing in bliss.

  
"So! Your flight got delayed too, I take it?"

  
Small talk. Joel could do this. Maybe.

  
"Yeah. You?"

  
"Yep. Can’t say I’m too mad about it though."

  
"Not eager to leave Texas?"

  
"Not really! It’s so nice and warm here, I’m heading back to New York where it’s been cold as shit lately."

  
Joel chuckled quietly, taking a bite of his cinnamon roll before replying.

  
"Well I’m plenty ready to leave for a while. I’m heading to California, aka Texas without the dry heat plus more ocean."

  
"Gotta admit that sounds pretty good too. Oh, I’m Ray by the way."

  
"Joel, it’s nice to meet you."

  
The older man offered his hand, Ray shaking it, the two sharing a grin before returning to their food.

  
"So what brings you to Texas?"

  
Joel started talking again first, silently praising himself when Ray seemed happy to reply.

  
"A possible job, actually. It’d be so awesome if I got it, a good friend of mine works there already and it’s basically like a dream job for me. I’m pretty sure it’s in the bag but you never know."

  
"Sounds great. Well I hope you’ll continue to enjoy Texas’ heat even once you move down here. It loses it’s appeal very quickly."

  
"Oh, so you’re from Texas then?"

  
"Yeah, I’m just heading to California for some work stuff. Short trip, but I’m looking forward to it."

  
From there the conversation continued, slowly, then it seemed like their responses were rapid fire, eating up every last word the other said, feeling an odd sense of satisfaction as they became more acquainted. An hour passed by like it was a matter of minutes, another hour following the same way, and before either of them knew it there was an announcement saying that some flights would be departing soon. Joel’s and Ray’s were both called, and suddenly they realized that they’d have to part.

  
They stood up awkwardly from the table they’d been sat at together, tossing away their trash and continuing their talk until they got to where they had to part ways, pausing to look at each other.

  
"I’m ah… I’m in Terminal 1."

  
Joel mumbled, Ray giving a small sad smile in response.

  
"I’m Terminal 3."

  
"Guess we’ve got to part ways then."

  
"…Yeah…"

  
No movement from either of them, people bustling about all around as they stayed still, staring at each other, both far too reluctant to leave just yet. An announcement of Joel’s plane boarding spurred him back to reality, and he hurriedly pulled out his phone.

  
"Number!"

  
"W-What?"

  
"Give me your number. Or I give you mine, either way I just. I haven’t had such a good time just talking to someone sober in so long, there’s no way I’d let you walk away so easily."

  
Ray smiled widely, laughing a little as he pulled out his own phone. They exchanged numbers, as well as a brief yet awkward hug goodbye before both men rushed for their own terminals to catch their planes.

  
—-

  
A couple months had passed. Neither of them made any move to contact the other. Not for lack of wanting, no, Joel had been dying to try to call or text Ray, but as more and more time passed since they met the less confident he was. What if he had just forced Ray to give his number, surely he didn’t really want to talk with an old guy like Joel after all.

  
Still he found himself hurriedly checking his phone whenever it went off, still hoping at least a little bit that Ray’s name would be the one to pop up on the screen. It never did. So he tried to move on, it wasn’t too hard. At least having known Ray for only that short time didn’t impact his life too much, and his coworkers never even noticed anything had been wrong.

  
Work was normal too, although there was apparently a new addition to the Achievement Hunter team. Joel hadn’t heard too much about him, other than he was a friend of Michael’s and somehow quickly showed himself to be the best overall player in the entire group, which seemed pretty hilarious. The idea of Geoff and Jack getting trounced by a guy he guessed was around ten years their junior was pretty entertaining, so when he had the chance he decided to peek in during a game.

  
The entire group was playing Minecraft, some sort of non-combative plan in play, much to Joel’s disappointment.

  
"Aww, you’re not killing each other?"

  
"Oh hey, nah not this week."

  
Geoff gave him a little nod of a greeting, Joel stepping in, his eyes wandering over familiar heads until he landed on the one not quite so familiar. He couldn’t see the other’s face too well, the man focused on his computer screen, chunky headphones covering half his head, so Joel walked over. He peeked over his shoulder, watching as the man’s character slayed a creeper with ease.

  
"Wow, he really is good, huh?"

  
The man jolted, turning slightly, his eyes going wide as he caught sight of the other man’s face.

  
"Joel!"

  
Joel jumped back a bit in surprise, not having expected his name to be yelled, only to realize just who he’d been watching play. It was Ray sitting there, absolutely the last person he’d been expecting.

  
"Ray!"

  
A muted explosion came from Ray’s headphones and he turned back to his screen only to find his character blown up by a creeper. Michael and Gavin laughed as he groaned, eyes darting from Joel to the screen, unsure what to place his focus on. Joel smiled nervously, backing up until he was at the doorway.

  
"Just wanted to check out the new guy, let’s do lunch or something right? Kay bye."

  
He hurriedly left, leaving Ray to try to refocus on the game while his coworkers laughed at his mess ups. When lunch time came Joel was back at the hunter office, awkwardly peeking in and waiting for Ray to notice him. When he did the younger man got up and walked over, the two mumbling quiet nervous greetings before leaving for lunch.

  
They went to a deli just down the block, both buying a sandwich and some chips, settling into the farthest booth away from any other people. They ate in quiet for a couple minutes, before Ray finally piped up.

  
"You never called me."

  
Joel tensed, looking down at his sandwich guiltily, toying with a bit of lettuce.

  
"You didn’t either…"

  
"I know. I wanted to though! I just let it go too long and then I thought it’d be weird and… I dunno."

  
"I did the same thing!"

  
They looked at each other, both looking rather surprised, before laughing, cracking up openly as other customers shot them odd looks. Neither of them cared, the two laughing together until they finally calmed down. They seemed far more relaxed afterwards, settling down in their seats and smiling, slowly starting to talk like they had months ago.

  
By the time they got back to work they were like old friends, any hurt feelings from the past couple months destroyed almost instantly. When work let out, Joel was waiting for Ray at the front door, grinning widely as the younger came into view.

  
"Hey, Ray! So, I was thinking maybe I could take you out tonight. As a welcome to Texas dinner or something. What do you think?"

  
Ray grinned back at him, clearly pleased with the idea.

  
"Sounds good to me. But… do you promise to actually call me afterwards?"

  
Joel chuckled a little and nodded.

  
"I promise."


End file.
